In June, two teams of scientists announced they had completed the world's first working drafts of the entire human genetic code. The accomplishment launches a new era in medicine.
The long-term ramifications are profound. In many ways, society is unprepared for the full implications.
The Washington Post and washingtonpost.com explore these issues in depth with a package of stories and special reports.
Background
The Human Genome Project formally began in October 1990 with the goals of identifying the more than 100,000 genes in human DNA, determining the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs in DNA, and storing this information in databases for future analysis and application.
The National Institutes of Health's Human Genome Research Institute and the Department of Energy's Human Genome Program together make up the U.S. Human Genome Project. The U.K.'s Wellcome Trust, a private philanthropy, also contributes to the global initiative.
Feature Story 20 Years Later, Stolen Gene Haunts a Biotech Pioneer
The men with foreign accents trod carefully through desolate hallways. They weren't supposed to be there, but the University of California at San Francisco had something they wanted, and they knew just where to find it.
Pharmaceuticals
Biotechnology
